In Dagestan, militants attack synagogue and two churches, a priest killed

Fire in Dagestan. Photo: RBC

In the two Russian cities of Derbent and Makhachkala (the Republic of Dagestan), unknown militants carried out armed attacks on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police post, reports Interfax.

As a result of the terrorist attacks, according to preliminary data, an Orthodox priest in Derbent and a church guard in Makhachkala were killed. After the attack on the traffic police post, there were also casualties: a police officer was killed, and six other law enforcement officers were injured.

Videos of a large fire at the Derbent synagogue started appearing on social media. Near the burning building, the body of a man with a gunshot wound to the head was found. Another man was hospitalized with burns.

"According to the information I received, Father Nikolai was killed in the church in Derbent, his throat was cut. He was 66 years old and very ill," said Shamil Khadulaev, the head of the "Public Monitoring Commission" of Dagestan.

Later, it became known that law enforcers liquidated two militants who attacked a church and a synagogue in Makhachkala. Their identities are being established. The case will be investigated in the Russian Federation as a terrorist act.

As reported, anti-terrorist raids were conducted in Turkey, resulting in the arrest of 48 people suspected of ties to the "Islamic State".

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